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Wednesday February 21, 1906
Denver, Colorado - Haywood, Moyer, and Pettibone Kidnapped by State of Idaho

The San Francisco Call of February 19th reported on the arrest, in Denver, of Big Bill Haywood and Charles Moyer, officers of the Western Federation of Miners. George Pettibone, whom The Call describes as a former member of the W. F. of M., was also arrested. The next morning, the men were transported by special train from Denver to Boise, apparently without extradition hearings, nor an opportunity to challenge extradition. The three men will be charged in connection with the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg of Idaho.

The Call appears to approve of what amounts to a kidnapping, arranged by the authorities of Colorado and Idaho:

PRISONERS RUSHED TO BOISE CITY
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Taken on Special Train From Denver.
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Miners' Union Officials Involved in
Steunenberg Murder Case.
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Three Men Spirited Away Under Guard
in the Early Morning.
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DENVER, Feb. 18.-Charles H. Moyer and William D. Haywood, president and secretary respectively of the Western Federation of Miners, and G. A. Pettibone, a former member of the executive board of that organization, who were arrested in this city last night on warrants charging them with complicity in the murder of former Governor Steunenberg of Idaho were taken from their cells in the county jail at an early hour this morning by an armed guard of twelve deputy sheriffs, escorted to the union depot and were there placed on board a special train, which a few minutes later left the station carrying the entire party, prisoners and armed deputies, over the Union Pacific Railroad, en route for Boise, Idaho.

The three men, who were taken out of the city as prisoners of the Idaho authorities, it was learned to-day, were arrested last night by three different officers after extradition papers had been signed by Governor McDonald. The papers were delivered to the Governor on Thursday last, but not a word to the effect was allowed to escape from the executive chamber. In fact, it is believed that no one except the deputies was advised that Governor McDonald had in his possession the papers issued in Idaho. Governor McDonald signed the papers not later, it is believed, than 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and a short time afterward left the city for Colorado Springs. The Governor is not expected to return before Monday or Tuesday.

ARRESTS PLANNED SECRETLY.
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From information received to-night from officials at the county jail, where Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were taken immediately upon their arrest by deputies, it is understood that three deputies were detailed from the office of Sheriff Nesbitt of Denver to make the arrests. The officers were instructed to preserve the greatest secrecy as to their mission. The three officials of the Federation were apprehended in different parts of the city and were taken each by a different officer to the county jail where separate cells were provided. President Moyer was about to leave the city for Deadwood, S. D., it is said, on a Burlington train when he was accosted in the car by a deputy sheriff, who forthwith presented a warrant for Moyer's arrest.

Secretary Haywood was taken into custody by an officer just as he had stepped out of an elevator in a down-town building.

It is thought little attention was paid to Pettibone before his arrest. No watch, it is said, was kept over his movements and he was arrested almost simultaneously with the others, but in a very secret manner. Neither of the federation officials were informed of the other's arrest and only when the three men were led out of separate cells this morning preparatory to the journey to the depot were the prisoners allowed the information that a triple arrest had been made the night before on warrants charging complicity in the murder of Idaho's former Governor.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR.
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Owing to the absence of Governor McDonald from the city last night no statement could be obtained concerning his action on the request of the Idaho authorities for the extradition of the federation men. Over the long-distance telephone, however, Governor McDonald expressed himself as being much surprised to learn that a special train was used to convey the officials of the Western Federation of Miners from Denver. He had no knowledge of a plan to secretly spirit the men out of town.

[Said the Governor:]

Last Thursday morning...Deputy Warden Mills of the Idaho penitentiary, who had arrived in Denver the day before, called upon me at my office and presented the requisition papers for the arrest of the three men. Charges of complicity in the murder of former Governor Steunenberg were set forth. I spent all of that day, as well as Friday and part of Saturday, investigating the charges against the men and in the end I honored the papers. I gave out no information about the papers being in my possession lest it should be the means of creating a movement to keep the men from the authorities who were in Denver to arrest them.

Governor McDonald was asked if any member of the Colorado National Guard was sent with the men as a guard on the special train on its way out of Denver.

"Not to my know ledge," he replied.

The Governor was then told that Adjutant General Wells was absent from the city and was pressed to answer if he had gone on the special train with the prisoners.

The Governor explained that General Wells had been granted a leave of absence and that if he had left for Boise on the special he went as a private citizen.

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 18.-Governor Gooding positively refuses to give out any information respecting the arrest of Charles H. Moyer and Charles B. [William D.] Haywood of Denver. The officer who went from here to make the arrest was Deputy Warden J. C. Mills Jr. of the State penitentiary. When he left is not even stated. For weeks the officers have been absolutely non-committal on the entire subject. They have intimated from time to time that they might have something after a while, but they have taken a ground that any intimation of what they were working on might prejudice the interests of the Judge, and all has been successfully guarded.

Judge McPartland [McParland], the Pinkerton manager at Denver, was here until about a week ago and then disappeared. Others known to be working on the case have been absent from Boise for weeks. Captain Swain returned to Boise from Spokane a few days ago and then disappeared.

The authorities here refuse absolutely to give out any information respecting the nature of the evidence against President Moyer and Secretary Haywood of the Western Federation of Miners or that in the case of George A. Pettibone, who is also being brought here on the same train from Denver. There are only two men here who know the facts, the Governor and J. W. Hawley, chief counsel for the prosecution. Both refuse to deny or affirm the report that Harry Orchard, the man in custody for the murder of former Governor Steunenberg, has made a confession. They met every other question in the same manner. Hawley, however, states positively they have evidence sufficient to convict all three men.

ANOTHER ARREST MADE.
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WALLACE, Idaho, Feb. 18.-Vincent St. John, president of the Miners' Union of Burke, Idaho, according to Sheriff Angus Sutherland of Shoshone county, is now in the county jail at Wallace. He was arrested this afternoon on a telegraphic order from Boise. Sheriff Sutherland drove to Burke, which is several miles from Wallace, found his man in bed, arrested him and brought him to Wallace. St. John refuses to say anything about his arrest or the causes therefor, and the Sheriff is equally close-mouthed, but it is understood that it is in connection with the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg at Caldwell, Idaho.

St. John has been voting under the name of John W. Vincent and is also known by that name in his dealings with the Burke union. He came to the Coeur d'Alenes [d'Alene] directly after the union troubles in Telluride, Colo., a year and a half ago. He has been employed in the Hercules mine at Burke as a common miner. He is married, but has no children.

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[Photographs added.]

SOURCES

The Cripple Creek Strike: a History of Industrial Wars
in Colorado, 1903-4-5
-by Emma Florence Langdon
Emma F Langdon's Account of the
Haywood-Moyer- Pettibone Case
-from Rebel Graphics
http://www.rebelgraphics.org/wfmhall/langdon29.html#dedication

San Francisco Call
(San Francisco, California)
-Feb 19, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/87820614/

IMAGES
Moyer Darrow Collection
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=1384
Haywood, Darrow Collection
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=1385
Pettibone Darrow
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/photo.php?pid=777
Vincent St John, younger
http://www.tellurideminersmemorial.coyotekiva.org/vincent.htm

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